Canada Thistle – Cirsium arvense IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 17 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Canada Thistle as a noxious weed.
Nebraska noxious weeds
Nebraska (NE) lists 13 plants as noxious weeds under 25 Neb. Admin. Code Ch. 10, 001. Nebraska's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell.
What plants are invasive in Nebraska?
Nebraska names 13 plants, including Purple Loosestrife, Canada Thistle and Leafy Spurge. A noxious-weed listing obliges control and limits movement; it does not by itself ban nursery sale. 11 of the 13 are also flagged invasive by GRIIS, which is an ecological finding rather than a ruling by Nebraska. Checked against 25 Neb. Admin. Code Ch. 10, 001 on July 20, 2026.
Common Reed – Phragmites australis NativeListed
Recorded in 32 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Common Reed as a noxious weed.
Diffuse Knapweed – Centaurea diffusa Not recorded hereInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in no Nebraska county. Nebraska lists Diffuse Knapweed as a noxious weed.
European Wand Loosestrife – Lythrum virgatum Not recorded hereListed
Recorded in no Nebraska county. Nebraska lists European Wand Loosestrife as a noxious weed.
Giant Knotweed – Polygonum sachalinense Not recorded hereInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in no Nebraska county. Nebraska lists Giant Knotweed as a noxious weed.
Japanese Knotweed – Fallopia japonica (potentially invasive weed) Not recorded hereInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in no Nebraska county. Nebraska lists Japanese Knotweed as a noxious weed.
Leafy Spurge – Euphorbia esula IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 53 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Leafy Spurge as a noxious weed.
Nodding Plumeless Thistle – Carduus nutans IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 41 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Nodding Plumeless Thistle as a noxious weed.
Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum salicaria IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 1 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Purple Loosestrife as a noxious weed.
Saltcedar – Tamarix ramosissima IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 3 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Saltcedar as a noxious weed.
Sericea Lespedeza – Lespedeza cuneata IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 1 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Sericea Lespedeza as a noxious weed.
Spiny Plumeless Thistle – Carduus acanthoides IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 27 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Nebraska lists Spiny Plumeless Thistle as a noxious weed.
Spotted Knapweed – Centaurea stoebe subsp. micranthos Not recorded hereInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in no Nebraska county. Nebraska lists Spotted Knapweed as a noxious weed.
No plant on Nebraska’s list matches that.
Want to check a plant by photo or county?
Use our “Is it native” tool for free.Compiled from the rule itself, retrieved July 20, 2026. Law changes; if you spot a listing we have wrong or stale, tell us at support@getezina.com.
The same list as a table
| Plant | Scientific name | Status | Plant instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Thistle | Cirsium arvense | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Common Reed | Phragmites australis | ListedNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Diffuse Knapweed | Centaurea diffusa | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| European Wand Loosestrife | Lythrum virgatum | ListedNebraska says “noxious weed” | Great St. Johnswort, Canada Goldenrod, Cutleaf Waterparsnip |
| Giant Knotweed | Polygonum sachalinense | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Japanese Knotweed | Fallopia japonica (potentially invasive weed) | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Leafy Spurge | Euphorbia esula | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Nodding Plumeless Thistle | Carduus nutans | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | Great St. Johnswort, Canada Goldenrod, Cutleaf Waterparsnip |
| Saltcedar | Tamarix ramosissima | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Sericea Lespedeza | Lespedeza cuneata | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Spiny Plumeless Thistle | Carduus acanthoides | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
| Spotted Knapweed | Centaurea stoebe subsp. micranthos | ListedInvasiveNebraska says “noxious weed” | — |
Where this comes from
- Nebraska listings
- 25 Neb. Admin. Code Ch. 10, 001. Read the rule.
- Invasive status
- GRIIS, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, via GBIF, covering the lower 48 states. A scientific register with no legal force; it is cited separately from the statute above because the two disagree far more often than they agree. Garden crops it flags only for spreading from cultivation are left out after review.
- Status wording
- The Prohibited / Restricted / Listed chips are Ezina’s normalisation across 44 states and are not the legal term. Where Nebraska’s own word for a plant differs from the chip, it is quoted verbatim beneath it.
- Nativity
- USDA PLANTS county distribution layer, surfaced through the county checker.
Regulated next door, but not in Nebraska
Plants that two or more states bordering Nebraska regulate, and Nebraska does not. A listing is a legal act rather than an ecological one, so a plant can be a documented problem here and still be sold here.
- Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis regulated in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri
- Cutleaf Teasel Dipsacus laciniatus regulated in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri
- Field Sowthistle Sonchus arvensis regulated in Colorado, Iowa, South Dakota
- Fuller's Teasel Dipsacus fullonum regulated in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri
- Johnsongrass Sorghum halepense regulated in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri
- Lenspod Whitetop Cardaria chalepensis regulated in Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota
- Quackgrass Elymus repens regulated in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas
- Absinthium Artemisia absinthium regulated in Colorado, South Dakota
- Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare regulated in Colorado, Iowa
- Kudzu Pueraria montana regulated in Kansas, Missouri
- Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora regulated in Iowa, Missouri
- Poison Hemlock Conium maculatum regulated in Colorado, Iowa
- Puncturevine Tribulus terrestris regulated in Colorado, Iowa
- Scotch Cottonthistle Onopordum acanthium regulated in Colorado, Missouri
- Spotted Knapweed Centaurea stoebe regulated in Kansas, Missouri
Questions
Is there an official Nebraska invasive species list?
Not under that name. Nebraska's legal list is a noxious-weed list: 13 plants named under 25 Neb. Admin. Code Ch. 10, 001, an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell. GRIIS, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, flags 11 of these 13 as invasive in the lower 48 states. That is an ecological finding, not a ruling by Nebraska. This page shows both side by side.
What plants are illegal to sell in Nebraska?
Nebraska's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell. 13 plants are named under 25 Neb. Admin. Code Ch. 10, 001. A noxious-weed listing does not automatically ban nursery sale, so check the rule itself before assuming a plant cannot be bought or sold.
Is my plant invasive in Nebraska?
Search the table on this page for Nebraska's legal determination, then look for the Invasive chip beside it, which is a separate ecological finding from GRIIS rather than a ruling by Nebraska. A plant can carry one, both, or neither. For an address-level answer, enter the plant's name in Ezina's checker to get its Nebraska status alongside whether USDA records it as native to your specific county. Every answer links the record it came from.
Is it illegal to plant these in Nebraska?
Not necessarily, and the distinction matters. Nebraska's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law: it obliges landowners to control these plants and restricts moving them, rather than making the act of planting one an offence in itself. 25 Neb. Admin. Code Ch. 10, 001 is the text that says what is actually required of you, and it is linked beside every plant here.
Does a plant missing from this list mean it is safe to plant in Nebraska?
No. This page reproduces what Nebraska regulates, and a state list is a legal instrument rather than an ecological verdict. Plenty of plants spread aggressively without ever being listed, and states add species years after the problem is documented.
Grow natives easily with Ezina
How it works
We provide the tools you need to succeed.
010.1Identify
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
010.2Care
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
010.3Plan
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Compiled from peer-reviewed research, USDA documentation,
and direct scientific observation across the United States.